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“I thought that our struggle would end when we accepted the offer to relocate. But now I realized that it is not yet over.”
“The authorities do not know that recycling plastics is the only livelihood we know. If they will dislocate us from our home and source of livelihood, it will only bring us to a more impoverished living condition,” Shirley Carillo, leader of the local organization Samahan ng Magkakabitbahay sa Waterhole, said.
Nida and Solomon Naños were farmworkers in Bicol who were forced to migrate to the city after falling victims to a defective agrarian reform program. They now live along Dario Creek in Quezon City where they face constant threat of demolition.
The “current practice and implementation of demolition of urban poor communities is gravely inhuman, unjust and oppressive in the eyes of God and civil society.” – Church People – Urban Poor Solidarity
“This system that uses the police to hurt people to protect the interest of the few should change.” – North Triangle resident
“While the government has no concrete plans for informal settlers, no demolition should take place in communities.”
“I know you know what is happening to us. You might have seen it on television. But it seems that rich people are more important to you. What will happen to us?” – a resident’s message to President Benigno Aquino III
The violent clash between urban poor residents along Agham road in Quezon City and policemen were shown in news reports that evening July 1. But what was not shown was how the clash erupted and what were the reasons for the adamant struggle of the urban poor residents.
A member of the demolition team suddenly grabbed Maybellin Fronda, 2 years old, resulting in a spinal injury even if her mother was already about to leave their house to give way to the demolition.
"The residents would prefer to live along danger zones than relocating to death zones.” – Kadamay
By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO Bulatlat.com MANILA -- The residents of Guatemala St., Brgy. San Isidro, Makati City are up for a showdown with the demolition team of the local government and against elements of the Philippine National Police (PNP) on September 19. After...
By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO
"We will defend our houses, we will defend our rights. We have as much right to live in Makati as the rich folk here."
Groups call Ombudsman to conduct investigation on violent demolitions (Photo by Igal Jada San Andres / Bulatlat.com)
By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO
"It was a human barricade. We did not gear for a gunfight." -- Sheila Bernal, a resident and president of Samahan ng Pagkakaisa at Rekonsilasyon sa Silverio.
By IGAL JADA SAN ANDRES Bulatlat.com MANILA - I remember an article I wrote for one of my Journalism classes way back in September of 2010. An electric post belonging to Meralco caught fire in Pook Ricarte that week because it was overloaded. Residents affected by...
Mandaluyong City--The future is uncertain for a child who lost her home caused by demolition. She lost her home during the demolition in Nuebe de Pebrero, Mandaluyong City last October 2011. Photo By Chantal Eco...
By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO Bulatlat.com CORAZON DE JESUS, San Juan City -- Whenever Susana Ybona, 47, wakes up every morning and sees the galvanized iron sheet in front of her home, she quivers at the thought of an impending demolition. "We have been living here for...
By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO
"What the local governments have been trying to evict are not only the structures of the people's homes but the people's very life and dignity." – Promotion of Church People's Response
By ANNE MARXZE D. UMIL
“They (police) treated us like animals. They were beating us to death. But we did not give up, the youth are unshaken. We fought back.” – Gerry, 17, a resident of Corazon de Jesus.
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